10:59 am, March 20, 2023
Mazda is set to promote Masahiro Moro to become its new president and chief executive.
He will replace Akira Marumoto, who has led the vehicle manufacturer business since 2018.
Moro, 62, who is currently the director and senior managing executive in charge of communication, will take the reins in June, pending shareholder approval.
He joined Mazda in 1983, and was chairman and CEO of Mazda’s North American operations from 2016 to 2021.
Before that, he was the executive officer in charge of global marketing and held a vice-president position in Mazda Motor Europe for four years.
It’s understood that 65-year-old Marumoto will become a senior adviser, with Kiyotaka Shobuda staying as chairman.
Automotive News Europe quoted Marumoto as saying that Moro is being promoted partly as a reward for reforming Mazda’s dealer network in the USA, as well as for rebuilding the company’s profitability there.
It quoted Moro as saying he had two priorities.
‘One is to successfully roll out large products, which will be a major growth driver for putting the company on a growth trajectory.
‘The second is to implement company-wide cost-reduction activities, including all supply chains and value chains, in order to further improve management efficiency, so as to make our overall business more robust.’
As part of the shake-up, Jeffrey H Guyton is set to become the representative director, senior managing executive and chief financial officer.
The 56-year-old is currently president and chief executive of Mazda’s North American operations and senior managing executive in charge of Mazda’s operations in North America, having previously led Mazda’s European business for 10 years.
Mazda Motor Europe president and CEO Martijn ten Brink said: ‘Congratulations to Masahiro Moro and Jeff Guyton.
‘I am pleased to see two experienced leaders, who also know the European region well, will be taking the helm of our global business.’
He added: ‘Europe has always been a key market for Mazda.
‘And with these two appointments, at a time when Europe is setting the course for the future of the automotive industry, the Mazda Motor Corporation renews its commitment to the European region and dealer network.’
The new executive personnel line-up will be proposed at the shareholders’ ordinary meeting, followed immediately by the directors’ board meeting, taking place in June.
Eighty-six per cent of Mazda’s sales come from outside Japan, with 36 per cent being North American.
